Hydrometallurgical process for the recovery of valuable metals from sulfidic silicate containing raw materials

Patent · Tue Nov 20 04:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:5877814

Heimala, S O

The invention relates to a process for the recovery of valuable metals from sulfidic, silicate-containing raw materials by slurrying the raw material in water, by subjecting the slurry to a selective leach under atmospheric conditions and in an acidic milieu, and by separating the valuable-metal containing solution from the solid leach residue. When the leach is carried out by introducing an oxygen-bearing gas into the slurry which contains finely-divided sulfide and carbon, the acidity of the slurry drops in a controlled manner so that a high efficiency of oxygen, and a high selectivity of the leach as regards valuable metals, are obtained. Owing to the presence of carbon the oxygen is reduced very easily and so oxygen efficiency is high and the rate of dissolving of the valuable metals increases in the slurry mixture.

• Assignee: Outokumpu Oy (Finland)
• Patent Number(s): US 4483827
• OSTI ID: 5877814
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

050400* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Feed Processing
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
COMMINUTION
DISPERSIONS
DISSOLUTION
EFFICIENCY
EXTRACTIVE METALLURGY
GRINDING
HYDROMETALLURGY
LEACHING
MACHINING
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS RECOVERY
METALLURGY
MIXTURES
ORE CONCENTRATES
PROCESSING
RECOVERY
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SLURRIES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SUSPENSIONS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING